TSUBASA RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
by CrazygurlMadness
Summary: A TRC retelling. Almost like putting the manga into words. DISCONTINUED.
1. The World of Beginnings

Author's note: Everyone, this is a novelization of the Manga called 'Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE', by CLAMP. I decided to give you a written version of it. I hope you like it. (please correct mistakes!) Tell me what you think of this first chapter. I have been following the manga as closely as possible, but I also added some of my little touches. (maybe you'll be able to figure them out, who knows?). Anyway, here you are:  
  
TSUBASA RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Chapter 1: The WOrLd Of BEGiNNiNGs  
  
It was a glass pane. As simple as that. And yet, what it did was incredible. The two souls encased on each side could see each other, communicate with signs, but the transparent wall held to itself their words, their voices, their bodies.  
  
They reached out to each other, their eyes pleading for contact, something to reassure them that everything would be alright.  
  
Their eyes, those clear orbs caracteristic to young people, were shining with sufferance, despair, and tears. She had lost all hope, he was desperate, hitting the pane again and again, willing it to break.  
  
She watched with fearful eyes as he slowly lost his sanity, bruising his hands as he hit harder and harder, oblivious to the pain. He kept calling out to her, hoping she would try the same.  
  
But she didn't.  
  
Perhaps it was an illusion, perhaps it was just a nightmare, he thought, walking against the wind, the sand whipping his traveler clothes.  
  
Perhaps the wings he saw in his sleep appear on her back were false. At least he hoped so.  
  
He wiped the sweat from his brow.  
  
He desperately wished that he had never dreamed that nightmare. He sincerely wished that he had never seen her torn away from him by those wings, that he had not been helpless, that he did not see the fear in her eyes as she was pulled away from him.  
  
No, it was just a nightmare. It was not true.  
  
The traveler readjusted his backpack over his shoulder, and lowered the hood over his eyes to protect them from the sand.  
  
He hated sand storms.  
  
The wind kept hitting him full force, and the sand caught in every fold of the clothing he wore on his lean form.  
  
At least he was close to his destination now.  
  
Syaoran cursed his luck. Just when the wind had started picking up, he had to decide to stay at the ruins for another while. And when he had been done, the transportation was gone. Talk about good karma, he thought sarcastically.  
  
The wind calmed. Well, well, maybe the gods didn't hate him that much after all.  
  
He climbed to the top of a dune and looked forward in the desert. The skies cleared a bit, revealing that it was late afternoon. He drew back his hood slightly, to view the place he had traveled all day to attain.  
  
The Country of Clow.  
  
Syaoran watched as the late rays of the sun illuminated brightly the reddish walls of the city, and the orange rooftops of the igloo-like houses. At the very top of the city, a delicately formed stronghold rose to meet the sky. Farther in the desert, a similar village was seen, however not so grand in appearance. The doors to the city were wide open, inviting whoever wished to enter to take a good rest within the walls.  
  
Which he was about to do.  
  
Making his way through the market, through the small streets, through the busy alleyways, Syaoran came to a small house, similar to the others, and whose architecture was based on curves. Small, high, round windows were on each side of the rounded doorway, and he unlocked it.  
  
Turning to a small table aligned on a wall, Syaoran threw on top of it his backpack and picked up the clay frame that stood there.  
  
He raised it to his face and smiled.  
  
Shrugging off his hooded coat, he spoke calmly to the picture encased in the frame.  
  
"Hey, Dad. I'm back!"  
  
He put his coat on a hook and came back to sit on his bed, contemplating the picture of his nine year-old self on the shoulder of his father, who was smiling and holding up an old mirror to examine. Small Syaoran was grinning happily, obviously proud of having contributed to the find.  
  
And looking down at the small photograph underneath his fingers, seventeen year-old Syaoran felt pride for his father and for the great duo they made in archeology.  
  
"You know," he spoke aloud, "the ruins up North are really huge. They're buried under tons of sand, just like you always said and thought." He grinned. "I had to scold one of the apprentices yesterday. You know they're not patient. That one tried to dust a plate off with a pike. I really wonder sometimes what they're thinking... Although I'm sure I'm not the one to talk. I must've been pretty awful back then, right?"  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Anyway, we've made a pretty big find this morning. I was expecting it, you know. It was impossible that such a huge structure didn't have... Oh, but it doesn't really matter right now. I'd rather not detail anything, 'cause I haven't been down there yet. It was too unstable this morning, I have to wait for the team to secure it before starting the searches."  
  
He sighed and fell back on his bed, holding the frame above him.  
  
"You'd be proud, Dad. I've become just like you! An archeologist. They want me to be the one to do all the new searches! It's really awesome."  
  
A long silence followed, interrupted only by the ticking of his clock.  
  
There was a knock on the door. Syaoran looked up from his bed and stared a moment at the wooden pane. He hurriedly stood and placed the frame on his bedside table, before walking briskly to the entrance. Cautiously opening it, he peered outside.  
  
He saw a small figure, whose face was hidden underneath a pink hood.  
  
"Yes?" He asked after a moment of silence.  
  
For a split second, he saw the figure look up, had a glimpse of pale green eyes.  
  
'Wait, I know this perso-'  
  
He didn't finish his thought. The small figure had shrugged off her coat and was now clinging to his neck so tightly he fell backwards, the girl in his lap.  
  
He was stunned, to say the least.  
  
"SYAORAN!"  
  
'Ah, I thought so.'  
  
He looked up into the eyes of the girl, whose face was now hovering a few inches above his own.  
  
He shook his head and murmured a 'woah' of surprise. She grinned, then started speaking.  
  
"You're back! How are the excavations doing? Did you get hurt? You're not sick, are you? Did you eat well? How do you feel? You okay??"  
  
He was starting to feel slightly flustered at her proximity, and he couldn't help his stutter.  
  
"Y-Yes, princess..."  
  
She got closer, her cute face in a menacing pout.  
  
"Syaoran, stop being polite with me."  
  
"B-But, princess... It's only correct..."  
  
She stuck her forehead to his, and he shut up, mesmerized.  
  
"Sa-ku-ra." She pronounced, eyes gleaming.  
  
'I have a princess sitting in my lap. I have a very cute princess sitting in my lap. I have my old childhood friend, who happens to be a very beautifully cute princess sitting in my lap...'  
  
Needless to say Syaoran was very red.  
  
"Sa... Sa-Sakura." He managed to whisper.  
  
She smiled, pulling away a bit, but not leaving her comfortable position on his stomach.  
  
Wait. His stomach? Better yet, HIS LAP??  
  
It was Sakura's turn to become very flustered, and she stood suddenly, leaving Syaoran on the floor gazing up at her in a slightly dazed way.  
  
"I'm sorry! I must've been pretty heavy!" She exclaimed.  
  
But Syaoran didn't think so at all. In fact, now that she wasn't sitting on him and that he could think a bit better, he felt that he resented her sudden distance...  
  
No, cut that. He couldn't think in that direction.  
  
"It's okay..." He assured her, and closed the door.  
  
Sitting on the carpet, the two teens kept silent a long moment. Sakura coughed daintily, and Syaoran looked up.  
  
"So, anyway... Welcome back home, Syaoran!" She grinned.  
  
"It's good to be back," Syaoran confirmed, smiling. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "But, Miss, how did you know I was back in the first place?"  
  
"The whole team came back." She explained. At Syaoran's confused face, she continued. "I mean, today, the whole team came to the castle. I think it was to do a report on the state of the searches."  
  
Syaoran pointed the floor and gave her a questioning look.  
  
"Right now?" She nodded. "Doesn't it matter if you're not at the castle?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Listening to the report? Nah, that's my brother, the King's job. Besides, I knew that since the team was at the castle, YOU, shy Syaoran, would be here."  
  
A second passed. Syaoran suddenly realized something.  
  
"WHAT?? You came alone again??"  
  
She nodded, smiling.  
  
"Yep!" He gave her a disgruntled look. "Why? When I tell my brother I'm going to see you, he gets in such a bad mood! I think it's better not to tell him, because I want to see you nonetheless." She smiled at him. "You're my precious childhood friend, Syaoran. Not seeing you would make my life so boring!"  
  
She stood and made her way to his bedside table, picking up the clay frame with the picture of Syaoran and his father. She smiled fondly down at it.  
  
"It's been seven years, you know?" She told the teen still sitting on the floor. "Seven years since your father came to this country with you." She came back to him and sat. "As a foreign archeologist, your father was fascinated by our country and its past... He had heard there were artifacts and ruins buried beneath the sand in this country. So he convinced my father, the precedent king, to fund his expeditions, so that they could understand the land's past."  
  
Syaoran knew this story, having lived it himself, but he never got tired of hearing it from her.  
  
"He organized the expeditions in the heat and sand, no matter how dangerous the desert was." Sakura continued, gazing down at the picture. "And then the preparations were over and he and his team started the real work."  
  
Syaoran smiled and spoke.  
  
"He died during the excavations, but in the end, he said his life had been good." The teen said this with a small smile, his eyes honest.  
  
Sakura gazed up at him and gave him a disapproving look.  
  
"And I told you that you could come live at the castle!"  
  
Syaoran grinned and answered her in a tone that let one guess this conversation had occurred more than once before.  
  
"It would be odd for me to live in the castle."  
  
She stood and stared down at him.  
  
"It wouldn't! It wouldn't be odd at all! You're my childhood friend!"  
  
Syaoran droned in a soothing tone.  
  
"Civilians that aren't part of the royal family aren't allowed to live in the castle. I came in Clow to be a part of the archeological searches, and..."  
  
She gripped his shirt with a small hand.  
  
"But... Don't you feel sad at not being near your friends? It saddens me not to see you because of all your work... Syaoran, don't feel like that sometimes?"  
  
He gave her a small, slow nod.  
  
"Yes, sometimes I do feel lonely... But, the excavations, to me and my dad, they're..."  
  
"I know, I know. Your priority, the most important thing."  
  
He refrained from correcting her. The most important to him wasn't his work... He threw her a small glance.  
  
"I understand why things are the way they are, but sometimes... Sometimes, at night, when I lay awake in my bed, I wonder... Is he okay? What is Syaoran doing? Did he get hurt? What is he thinking about? Does he give a little thought to me?" She looked depressed, and Syaoran leaned forward to hear her every word as they were muttered.  
  
"Sakura..." He put a hand to her shoulder and smiled kindly at her. "I think about you too."  
  
They stared in each other's eyes for a long moment, and Syaoran wondered if now would be the right time to... Dang, she had lowered her eyes.  
  
"Syaoran..." He heard her whisper. He leaned forward. "Syaoran, th-there is something... Something I would like to... I would like to tell you about..."  
  
She was red. Syaoran saw that much. But he wondered at the quivering voice and the nervousness. What was going on? Did something bad happen? He pushed away his fears as something grasped his heart in a tight grip.  
  
"... Sakura? What is it?"  
  
She gazed up into his worried face, her own features nervous.  
  
"Syaoran... I... uh... I- I..."  
  
He waited for her to continue, patient as ever, but tense anyway. He leaned closer. Their faces were only a small distance away from each other...  
  
DONG!!  
  
Sakura jumped so high she fell on top of Syaoran, who had been startled out of his daze.  
  
"The Hell..." He muttered, his voice muffled by Sakura's dress.  
  
She jumped off him and looked frightened.  
  
"You okay??"  
  
He nodded slowly, then grinned.  
  
"Should I ask you the same?"  
  
Dong...  
  
She shook her head, and forced a smile.  
  
"No. I fell on you, so I'm fine..." She blushed. "Well, I mean... uh..."  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"It's the evening. The castle bell just rang."  
  
Ding...  
  
"You okay, though?" Syaoran asked at a trembling Sakura.  
  
She sighed and pasted a smile on her face.  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a tad scared." She scowled and muttered to herself. "You can always count on my brother to ruin everything..."  
  
Syaoran, whose eyes perked up at a particular word, asked her.  
  
"Ruins? What ruins?"  
  
She smiled and shook her head.  
  
"It's nothing. The bell rang. I gotta get back." She grabbed her coat and put it on.  
  
"Let me come with you." Syaoran offered, earning himself a pointed glare.  
  
"No. You must be tired after a day of traveling. You stay here and get a good night's sleep. I'll go on my own." She smiled. "The people here aren't dangerous."  
  
"True. My father and I traveled a lot, met a lot a different people, but no place was this peaceful."  
  
She opened the door and turned to offer him a small grin. Suddenly realizing something, she blushed.  
  
"Oh, um..." She turned away and looked up at the dark red sky of the evening, which matched her cheeks. "What I wanted to tell you today... I'll tell you next time we meet..." She paused. "It's very important that you listen... So please, wait for me..."  
  
With that, she ran out into the street.  
  
Syaoran watched her go, trying to swallow the lump in his throat, biting his lip and trying to keep his eyes on her as long as possible before she disappeared in the crowd.  
  
"No..." He whispered. "No, Dad..." He shook his head. "It's wrong. These feelings are wrong!" He closed the door and leaned back on it.  
  
"Even if she's my childhood friend... I can't... She's a princess!"  
  
And he let his sorrow show on his face as he gazed at his father's picture.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Night had fallen over the Clow Castle, and the faint tapping of the princess' shoes could hardly be heard.  
  
Sakura followed a row of large marble columns, slowly placing her toes, then the ball of her foot, and finally her heel. Toes, heel, toes, heel, toes, heel...  
  
The castle was beautiful at night. It glowed with a comforting orange light. Without a doubt, it was her favorite place (besides Syaoran's lap, of course). The high walls were a white-ish marble, with fine brown streaks in them. The floors were cleanly swept, daily, to prevent the sand from entering too much. The grand silky curtains were an orange-y transparent color, which had the double role of preventing the sand from coming in and to keep out Peeping Toms.  
  
Toes, heel, toes, heel...  
  
"SAKURA. I SAW YOU."  
  
Sakura visibly cringed and scowled. Didn't that guy ever get sleep??  
  
Oh, brother...  
  
She entered the grand throne room, her face a nervous smile. At the very end of the great hall, she spotted her brother lounging in his cushioned chair.  
  
'Oh, High King, I present you with my respects and my greatest scorn.' Sakura thought, her eyes clearly showing her annoyance at her discovery.  
  
"I'm home, Touya." She called, nearing his throne.  
  
Touya, King of Clow, rolled his eyes, and she thought she heard him mutter 'Obvious enough, thank you'.  
  
She waited, stared at him, wondering what her next sentence would be. Touya placed his chin in his hand.  
  
"You went to see that brat again, didn't you?"  
  
'Damnit. Why did I have to be graced with such a clever brother??'  
  
"HE'S NOT A BRAT. His name is Syaoran."  
  
"He's a kid, and a kid is a brat." Touya declared.  
  
'Oh right. I'm a brat to you.'  
  
"HE'S NOT A KID!! HE LIVES ALONE AND IS A VERY HARD WORKER!!"  
  
Touya leaned forward, and took up her invitation at a screaming contest.  
  
"HE'S STILL A BRAT TO ME!!"  
  
"NO! HE'S AWESOME!!"  
  
"Why not take this calmly, your highnesses?"  
  
Both turned, angry, to the source of their interruption. Both of them lightened at the sight that greeted them.  
  
"Yukito!!" Sakura ran over to the High Priest and favored him with a hug. Yukito smiled kindly.  
  
"You're done with your work, Yuki?" Sakura asked, purposely ignoring her brother.  
  
"Yep. I'm done with the notes of the report and came to give them to your brother... Then I heard you two quarreling again."  
  
Touya made a face.  
  
"Touya isn't as mean as he seems," Sakura smiled.  
  
"Nothing like you, actually. Heh."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Now, now, don't listen to him, Princess."  
  
Sakura pouted and suddenly noticed the large map Yukito was holding.  
  
"Are the searches progressing?" She asked, taking a peek at the wide piece of parchment.  
  
"Yes. See for yourself." He opened the map wider.  
  
"So it's soon over??" Sakura asked, with clear enthusiasm.  
  
"No." Both Princess and Priest turned to Touya, who was leaning on a large windowsill, looking out in the desert. "The remains aren't only on the surface."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"They found a way to an underground place, below the ruins." Yukito explained.  
  
Touya nodded.  
  
"They don't know how big it is, but we gave them the permission to continue. Which means..." He turned to Sakura with an evil gleam in his eye. "That searcher-boy'll then be very, very, very, very, very busy!"  
  
Sakura stared at him, and returned his glare.  
  
"I KNOW." She answered. "Syaoran like ruins and history. As soon as he hears the news, he'll be very, very, very, very, very happy!" She started retreating to the hallway. "AND THAT'S GOOD."  
  
She ran out of the throne room, leaving behind a smug Touya and a compassionate Yukito.  
  
"That wasn't really nice, your Highness."  
  
Touya shrugged and sat on the windowsill.  
  
"Don't be so polite with me when we're alone, Yuki."  
  
"But-"Yukito started, rolling up the parchment.  
  
"To the people," Touya declared. "We are the High King and High Priest, but together, we are childhood friends."  
  
Yukito smiled thinly, but honestly.  
  
"Hm. Yes, Touya."  
  
They both leaned against the windowsill, facing the inside of the throne room. Touya sighed. Yukito waited patiently. Since Sakura had been reported absent from the castle, Touya had been acting tensely. Something was on his mind, obviously.  
  
"That boy..." Touya started. "I don't like him."  
  
"But you really like your sister!" Yukito teased, knowing that he said the truth.  
  
"She's the princess, my successor!" Touya boasted. "But think about it," he asked, facing the city below, with its torches shining bright. "A princess cannot live with such a commoner! And yet..." His eyes became sad and pain evident on his face. "How do you take away one's only true love?"  
  
"Indeed," Yukito agreed, his eyes thoughtful. "Syaoran is indeed Sakura's soul mate. It was foretold."  
  
Touya crossed his arms and frowned.  
  
"Your predictions are always correct. AND IT ANNOYS ME." He scowled.  
  
"But... I also see something terrible. A horrible conflict awaits them... Your sister possesses strange powers that even I don't understand. She can bring eternal peace or endless destruction. She can change the world. Positively or negatively..."  
  
"If only we could..." Touya started, but trailed off. Yukito shook his head.  
  
"Touya, there is nothing to be done." The Priest said this with a sorrowful face.  
  
"That's what I don't like!"  
  
"You can't change it, my friend." Yukito said, staring up at the stars.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
"GRR... BIG BROTHER IS SO MEAN!!" Sakura wailed as she plopped on her bed.  
  
Sitting up, she noticed that she could see the ruins from her balcony. Pushing open the glass doors, she walked out into the brisk air.  
  
"Wow..." She whispered, her eyes widening at the structure she saw from there.  
  
The huge building had the form of two wings stretching out to the night sky. Around them, some sand was lifted because of the work the night team of archeologists were doing. They seemed to be made of stone.  
  
"So there's still some stuff under it, uh?" She murmured, letting the cool wind play with her bangs. "Syaoran must be really happy..." She crossed her arms on the balcony. "Tomorrow, I'll make him lunch, so I get to see him over there."  
  
She blushed.  
  
'And then... I'll tell him... That I love him...'  
  
She was starting to slip into a good daydream, and her cheeks were gradually getting redder. She would have started drooling, had she not heard something clear and tingly resound. She looked up suddenly.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
She heard it again, clearer than before.  
  
Ding...  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Ding...  
  
"It's such a pretty sound..."  
  
Ding...  
  
"It's coming from the ruins..."  
  
Ding...  
  
"Is it a bell?"  
  
She leaned forward, almost hypnotized by the sound. She leaned almost so far she would have fallen if...  
  
If what was holding her back?  
  
Ding...  
  
Oh, who cares...  
  
Ding...  
  
"It's calling me..."  
  
Ding!  
  
Sudden visions assaulted her mind's eye. Two castles...  
  
Ding!  
  
One castle was white, and floating above a snowy chasm, the other was black, surrounded by a reddish river... Both had an architecture that resembled that of wings...  
  
Ding!  
  
She saw a symbol with two wings sculpted on it... She saw a black cape with an indescribable black sign...  
  
Ding!  
  
And a feather... A feather falling slowly on a glassy surface...  
  
DING!  
  
And someone she knew on the other side of a glass pane, hitting desperately to break it... And a dark glass cylinder, cut in half by a pane...  
  
Ding!!  
  
That person!! She could hear that person calling her name!  
  
Ding...  
  
She abruptly came back to herself as her name was called.  
  
"What was... What was it?"  
  
She let a hand fly to her mouth in surprise as a last, fleeting vision of a hand hitting glass flashed before her eyes.  
  
SAKURAAA!!  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
Her gaze flicked back to the ruins and she stared in shock for a long moment.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
The next day, the sun shone brightly, and the excavations were advancing well. A great hustle surrounded a stairway leading down under the ruins, but no one dared to enter.  
  
Syaoran was happy of that. He always worked better on his own. Descending the stone stairs with a lantern, he finally came to a brightly illuminated room, in which the team had installed a large spotlight to brighten the floor.  
  
And there was a reason to that. Syaoran's eyes widened at the sight that greeted him.  
  
A very large, circular symbol made up most of the floor. It was stone-like, but Syaoran knew better. On the surface, he saw a pair of wings spread out, shaping perfectly the round form of the circle.  
  
Taking out an old book, he flipped a few pages.  
  
'What is this sign? I've never seen it before...'  
  
He was pulled out of his thoughts by a clear, happy voice.  
  
"SYAORAN!!"  
  
He turned to the stairway and blinked.  
  
Sakura jumped the last few steps, tripped, and landed in his arms. He looked down at her flushed face as she took her time to untwine herself from him.  
  
"Nani? Sakura?"  
  
She stood, and stepped back a little.  
  
"I ... I made your lunch!" She pointed to the small basket she was carrying.  
  
Syaoran blinked.  
  
"Sakura!! It's dangerous here! The earth is unstable! We don't know if it'll collapse or not yet! And the King might get worried!"  
  
He really needed to get the king more peeved at him...  
  
"S'okay!" She assured him. "He and Yukito came here as well to inspect the site!" She turned to the symbol on the floor.  
  
"Oh..." She gasped.  
  
"It's supposed to lead underground. But we can't seem to get through." He watched her walk to the center of the sculpted floor. "It looks like rock," he explained, "but even the high tech machines can't break it."  
  
Sakura stared hard at it.  
  
"This..." She whispered. "I saw this yesterday..."  
  
"What?!"  
  
And Syaoran stared in shock as Sakura placed her hands on it, making it give way. The whole structure started to tremble. Sakura didn't seem to notice. She was in a sort of trance.  
  
"Sakura?? What's going on?" Syaoran asked her, knowing she wouldn't hear him.  
  
A blinding light hit him, and he watched through his fingers as Sakura fell into the hole, her empty eyes shocking him.  
  
He reached out to her.  
  
"SAKURA!!"  
  
On the surface, the quake was felt too. Yukito and Touya had to steady themselves as everyone about them wailed in surprise.  
  
"What's going on??"  
  
"Is it an earthquake??"  
  
Yukito shook his head to clear it.  
  
"No! No, that's not it..." He grabbed Touya's sleeve and pointed the stairway. "It's coming from down there! Be careful!"  
  
But Touya didn't have time to make it to the shaking staircase. All around him, out of the sand, a few dozen of black figures sprouted, their triple blades slicing trough the archeologists.  
  
"THE HELL...???" Touya shouted, unsheathing his huge, steel sword.  
  
Down in the ruins, Syaoran tried to follow Sakura. He jumped down the hole, landing on a narrow stone pathway, and running in the direction she followed, ignoring the deep void underneath him.  
  
He managed to enter a big rocky room, on which he discerned another winged symbol, and Sakura was floating, hypnotized, in front of it. An unfelt wind was whipping at her clothes, and fondling her fairly short pale brown locks.  
  
"SAKURA!"  
  
When she did not respond, Syaoran panicked. A loud noise kept tuning out his voice, and he watched with evident fear as she backed up against the symbol.  
  
Was it just he, or did it seem like the symbol was reaching out to her??  
  
Indeed, liquid stone was starting to embrace her. Syaoran knew what would happen now.  
  
He took his distance, and started running. He placed a foot on the rock, gave a push, and jumped up on a very narrow ledge, using it as another way to push himself up.  
  
He jumped his way to her.  
  
In slow motion, he reached out, embraced her as she was about to disappear, grabbed her tightly, and fell back to the floor.  
  
The Hell...??  
  
The wings were now attached to her, and she had closed her eyes. He watched in shock as the wings stretched and blew.  
  
Ding!  
  
In a split-second, the wings had separated in pieces, and were disappearing through the stone walls. After they were gone, Syaoran was left with an unconscious Sakura.  
  
And the ceiling started to fall. The small chips of stone scraped at his back, and he knew he had to get out. Fast.  
  
"Sakura! Sakura!"  
  
She didn't move from his arms. She didn't move at all.  
  
'Her body is so cold...' He thought, panicked.  
  
"We have to go!"  
  
He picked her up and ran out as fast as she could.  
  
What no one knew was that he was watched.  
  
A young woman, clad in black, was watching from beside a throne as the young archeologist was pulling the princess out of the debris.  
  
"You failed." She announced, matter of factly.  
  
A man, imposing in figure, with a face that commanded respect, was sitting in the throne beside her. He shrugged.  
  
"No matter. It starts now. And when it's over, I'll have that power."  
  
Syaoran finally emerged from the stairway, and gasped at the sight that greeted him.  
  
Corpses surrounded him, blood was spattered everywhere, and everything was floored by the quaking.  
  
"WHAT?!?" He exclaimed.  
  
He noticed movement and turned there.  
  
"You're late, kid. How's my sister?"  
  
Touya didn't look very good. He was bloody, and sported more than a few cuts.  
  
Suddenly, he fell forward, and was saved of bruises by Yukito, who had run forward to catch him.  
  
"Is the King alright??" Syaoran asked, his mind swimming in light of recent events.  
  
"They put poison on their blades..." Yukito whispered more to himself than to Syaoran. "Well," he told the young searcher, "I won't let him die! ... And the Prin—"  
  
"Underneath the ruins, there were more ruins, and ---"  
  
Yukito interrupted him and placed his finger against his forehead.  
  
"Hush. I can read your thoughts..." After a moment, he snapped his eyes open. "Her wings are gone!"  
  
"Hai!!"  
  
Yukito looked mournful.  
  
"That wing... Was the Princess' soul..."  
  
"Her soul?"  
  
"Her memories from her birth 'til now are gone." Yukito explained. "And her soul isn't part of this world anymore..."  
  
"WHAT???"  
  
"Without a soul, a body is nothing... A mere envelope..."  
  
"Is there anything I can do for her?? Anything at all?"  
  
Yukito threw a worried glance at Touya. Would he dare act without his consent?  
  
"We mustn't waste any time!" He suddenly decided, casting a spell to call to him his staff, a winged crescent moon. "We can't surrender just now. I'm taking this matter into my own hands. I will send you to someone." Already, Syaoran could see the magic surrounding him. "I will send you to another world. To someone with the power of the moon..."  
  
Syaoran felt himself go numb, and just before his eyes closed, he heard Yukito's voice call out...  
  
"To the Magician of Dimensions!!"  
  
And upon his awakening, he found himself staring into the face of a beautiful, but severe looking woman.  
  
"ARE YOU THE MAGICIAN OF DIMENSIONS??"  
  
Her voice soothed him when she answered.  
  
"Some call me that..."  
  
"Then please!" Syaoran pleaded, hugging Sakura's form tightly. "Save Sakura!"  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
That was the first chapter. Long, I know, but that's because it's the first chapter.  
  
Remember: This belongs to CLAMP, not me.  
  
Tell me if you want me to add more? 


	2. The Price of Memories

Disclaimer: NO!!! IT DOESN'T BELONG TO ME!!!  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
How close you are... How much I've longed for... Your memories are in a distant world.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Chapter 2: The pRiCe oF MeMoRiES  
  
It was night. The black castle with the red river was seemingly silent. However, if one listened closely, they could hear a sound that wasn't quite like wind. Indeed, a hysterical laughter, sadistic, cruel, resonated somewhere beyond the thick walls.  
  
It was carnage. Blood splattered, corpses mutilated. In the middle of the tin rooftop, amongst the bodies of the black-clad men, a tall, well-built man was laughing, brandishing an impressive silver sword, whose hilt was shaped as a dragon. Dressed as a ninja, the man's red eyes scanned the area, his large black cape floating in the wind.  
  
"Fools!" He whispered. "You call yourselves assassins?? What a laugh!"  
  
He took a battle stance, readying his sword, facing a few men who weren't quite dead yet.  
  
"Anyone up for a challenge?" And he waited as the wind ruffled his pitch- black hair.  
  
"You've disobeyed, Kurogane." A voice called from under him, below the roof, in the large throne room.  
  
Kurogane descended from the large roof with a cat-like grace. He stepped inside and walked lightly up the large red carpet, not bothering to bow before the young woman who was standing there.  
  
"Tomoyo-hime (NOTE: THE '–hime' MEANS PRINCESS). They were robbing the castle. I killed them. Is something the matter?"  
  
The very young woman was beautiful. Long, wavy black hair, and calm, almost emotionless eyes, dark violet as a falling night. She was wearing traditional Chinese clothes, and a large clip held her thick hair together. She had soft facial features, and a proper, straight posture. Her hands were clasped in front of her. She would have looked shy, had she not spoken at that very moment. Her voice carried a rich lilt, and she just had a royal air, a commanding tone, perfect for a ruler.  
  
"I ordered you not to kill. At least, not systematically."  
  
Kurogane shrugged. He never really understood the principle of being polite to someone.  
  
So long as you cared, it was okay, right?  
  
"Killing is a way of living for a ninja, Tomoyo-hime."  
  
"Well it's a stupid way of living."  
  
He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh, shut up!"  
  
"Kurogane! Do not speak like this to the princess!" A young lady ninja, with a dark olive skin and short black hair called, was feeling horrible of the treatment Tomoyo received.  
  
"It's alright, Sooma." Tomoyo reassured her. She then turned to Kurogane. "There are good ninjas, like Sooma. Why aren't you like her?"  
  
Kurogane shrugged again and sheathed his sword.  
  
"There are no good and bad ninjas." He smirked. "I want to become stronger than anyone. That's why I fight." He slapped his hands to clear them of the dust. "Who lives, who dies, I don't care."  
  
Tomoyo's eyes became suddenly very sad, and she spoke more to herself than to him.  
  
"Yes... You truly are best at not caring..."  
  
She joined her hands together tightly and looked resolved.  
  
"Which is why I have no other choice."  
  
Kurogane raised his eyes to her and wasn't reassured to see that she was summoning magic.  
  
"Uh? What are you doing?" He asked. He really found her magic scary.  
  
The blast hit him full force, sending him skirting on the carpet, floored by its strength.  
  
"They told me to send bad people on a journey." Tomoyo called to him, not once interrupting her spell.  
  
Kurogane knew now that she was using the magic to send him somewhere. But where?? Using the only thing he could use against her, he yelled.  
  
"NO ONE SAID THAT!!"  
  
"I'll send you to another world."  
  
"NO! DON'T DO THAT!!"  
  
Tomoyo looked satisfied, but she didn't halt anything.  
  
"You will meet other people, and you will understand the true meaning of the word strength." She suddenly grinned. "It'll be sad here, without you, but you have my permission to leave!"  
  
Kurogane was not amused. He was already sinking in the floor with the strength of the magic, and he knew he'd go through soon.  
  
"YOU NEVER ASKED FOR MY PERMISSION!" He yelled, accenting the 'my'.  
  
Tomoyo shrugged. She let the strings pull him down and used another hand to call forth another spell.  
  
"One last thing..." She said, placing the spell on Kurogane's forehead. "I'll cast this curse on you."  
  
"What is it??"  
  
"A curse to keep you from killing wrongly. Every time you kill someone without reason, you will loose energy."  
  
He looked panicked.  
  
"WHAT?? YOU'RE KIDDING ME TOMOYO!!"  
  
"Don't call the princess by her name!" Sooma screamed.  
  
"With a bit of luck, we'll meet again, Kurogane. Good luck."  
  
His whole body was submerged, and he couldn't see her as she blew him a kiss. All he could do was yell one last thing.  
  
"I'LL REMEMBER THIS!!"  
  
A long silence followed, and the last of magic dispersed. The air considerably lightened. Sooma looked up at her princess in awe.  
  
"Hime... Kurogane..."  
  
"He'll be fine. I sent him to her..." She looked up to the starry sky. "The journey has begun..."  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
In a northern place, a large chasm served as a protection to the floating castle. It was a rotating rock structure, with delicate carvings that stretched out to the sky. It was snowing, and an eerie silence surrounded the place.  
  
Within the thick white walls of the castle, a scene of destruction inhibited the air of peaceful tranquility with a stench of battle. Corpses were littered around, buried under stone columns or mutilated by triple blades.  
  
In the middle of the large room, a quiet water hole surrounded by white marble bricks was bothered by a hand reaching out of it. The hand searched a bit before gripping tightly on the side.  
  
The very slim young man pulled himself out of it and rolled his shoulders, which were sporting a very large phoenix tattoo. The drawing's wings stretched out and a bit around the man's torso. It covered his whole back.  
  
He lifted himself over the side and onto the cold tile, surveying the scene around him.  
  
A young girl floated over to him, her face a picture of worry. He looked downcast. His pale blonde hair shielding his blue eyes away from her. She pushed her blonde hair over her shoulder and threw him a questioning glance, looking down into the pool, gazing at the sleeping figure she saw there.  
  
"Is the King asleep?" She asked.  
  
The young man pulled on his pale blue, long, and white fur-lined coat, hiding his tattoo and sat on the edge of the pool, his face as worried as she was. But his eyes held a hidden sadness.  
  
"I had no other choice..." He muttered.  
  
"What will you do now, Fye?" The girl asked, her cat ears perking up as he gazed down at her. She cuddled in his lap, her pale skin shining in the water's reflection.  
  
Fye smiled kindly.  
  
"I can't stay here." He gazed around him at the silent chaos. "Not even in this world."  
  
"This world?" She questioned, her face a cute pout of curiosity.  
  
"Not in this dimension." He explained, not really elaborating.  
  
"I don't understand." The girl whispered, looking innocent.  
  
"No matter, Chii. You don't have to." He reached up to hold her close, and she cuddled in his neck, the way a cat would. He kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Now's not a time to go out..." Chii exclaimed, pointing the darkness and snow drifting about through the window.  
  
"I have to go." Fye simply declared, fastening the belt around his coat and smiling at her. He picked up his staff, a beautiful golden thing with a purplish mineral at its end, and smiled up at Chii as she floated upwards.  
  
"Chii? But where?"  
  
"Very far. As far as possible." He gazed down into the pool and Chii followed his eyes. "In a world where there is no King Ashura." He whispered, his face sad again. He suddenly masked his sorrow and looked up at her. "There is something I'd like you to do."  
  
"What?"  
  
"If the King wakes up, I want you to warn me. To do so... Could you please change your appearance?"  
  
"Anything for Fye... Fye created Chii..."  
  
In a few seconds, the cat-like girl had transformed into a strange net spread across the fountain. Fye fingered the soft substance and smiled sadly.  
  
"..." He looked down at the sleeping face of the King. "I hope you have sweet dreams, King Ashura."  
  
He stepped back and assured himself he had nothing else in the circle he imagined around him. Satisfied, he started drawing figures in the air with the end of his staff. The symbols stayed, glowing, in mid-air.  
  
"Right..." Fye whispered as he reviewed the circle of rotating symbols. "I'm going... To the Sorceress of Dimensions!"  
  
The symbols grew brighter and engulfed him, and a few seconds later, nothing was left of him, or any trace of what had transpired there.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
It was raining.  
  
"So her name is Sakura."  
  
"Yes." Syaoran quickly answered, watching the beautiful woman who called herself the Witch of Dimensions.  
  
"And yours?"  
  
"I'm Syaoran."  
  
The woman reached for Sakura's forehead and barely touched it.  
  
"She lost an important part of herself."  
  
"Y-Yes."  
  
The woman's golden eyes sparkled with a small fire.  
  
"And it's traveling between worlds... If she stays like this, she'll die."  
  
Syaoran's face darkened and he bit his lip to stop it from quivering.  
  
The Witch rose to her feet and called out to the building behind her.  
  
"Watanuki!"  
  
The man hurried to her, breathless.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'd like you to take something at the safe." She turned to Syaoran as Watanuki left hurriedly. "Do you wish to save her?"  
  
"Yes!!"  
  
The Witch's eye glowed again.  
  
"I'll need something in exchange."  
  
"Anything!" Syaoran cried, his eyes full of fervor.  
  
The rain fell still, but the woman seemed unfazed by it as she looked up to the sky.  
  
"They are coming," she told Syaoran, who only held on to Sakura tighter.  
  
Two swirls of magic appeared on either side of the boy, and he watched with wide eyes as a black-clad ninja with red eyes and a tall man with blonde hair dressed in a coat became visible.  
  
Both newcomers had a tall form, but the dark one was broader than the other. They were also both older than him by several years, but Syaoran didn't really care. They were quite impressive, and he realized that compared to them, his clothes, with only served a utilitarian purpose, weren't as good-looking as those of the two.  
  
In comparison, the vivid red of the dark one and the pale blue of the blonde one were bright and colored if you looked at the browns and greens of Syaoran's outfit.  
  
Now, all Syaoran could do was watch to see what would happen.  
  
"Are you the Magician of Dimensions?"  
  
"Who the Hell are you?  
  
The two questions were asked at the same time and the two men seemed to notice each other only then.  
  
"Present yourselves first." The Witch said, indicating the black-clad one first.  
  
"I'm Kurogane. What is this place? Coz it's ugly..." He muttered the last part.  
  
The Witch heard him, but paid him no heed.  
  
"This is the Japan."  
  
Kurogane looked happy.  
  
"The place I come from is called Japan."  
  
"This is a different Japan." The woman said, apparently enjoying destroying Kurogane's hopes.  
  
"That's stupid! It makes no sense!" The man exclaimed.  
  
"You are...?" The Witch said, extending her hand to the blonde one.  
  
The blonde bowed and presented himself.  
  
"I'm a magician of the Kingdom of Celes. Fye D. Flowright."  
  
"Do you know what this place is?" She asked.  
  
"Yes..." Fye answered. "It is a place that can make wishes come true if paid correctly."  
  
"Exactly." She backed away a bit and surveyed all three of them. "Well, since you're here, it means you wish something."  
  
"I want to—"Both started.  
  
"Go back!" Kurogane ordered.  
  
"Travel to a different world." Fye declared.  
  
Kurogane glared at Fye, who ignored him.  
  
"It will be difficult for the two of you – No, wait." She looked at Syaoran. "For the three of you." She shook her head. "For your wishes, your most precious possessions aren't enough."  
  
Syaoran looked downcast and frustrated, holding Sakura tightly.  
  
"But..." All three boys turned to her as she walked passed them. "If you join together, it'll be just perfect."  
  
Syaoran was already wondering how he'd manage if he had two other people following him around.  
  
"The Hell is this now??" Kurogane asked, his face smug and sarcastic.  
  
"Hush, Blackie."  
  
Kurogane turned to Fye and glowered.  
  
"I'M NOT BLACKIE, I'M KUROGANE!!"  
  
"The three of you wish the same thing." The Witch declared, ignoring the hustle. She looked down at Syaoran, who was still clutching Sakura on the grass. "You wish to travel to save your princess and find her memories." She gazed up at Kurogane, who was standing straight and a hand on the hilt of his sword. "You want to go back to your world." Then she looked towards Fye. "You want to go to another world than yours, and not go back. Three different goals, but the way is the same. You all wish to go to different worlds. If you pay the correct price, it'll be perfect. Your wishes will be granted all at once."  
  
Kurogane sighed.  
  
"What must I pay?"  
  
The Witch's eye gleamed.  
  
"That blade."  
  
"WHAT?? I CAN'T GIVE YOU SILVER DRAGON!!"  
  
The Witch smirked and pointed a finger into Kurogane's built chest.  
  
"Fine. Walk around in that silly outfit, violate laws on weapons, be arrested by the police, get interviewed on TV..."  
  
"What? Police? TV?"  
  
The woman looked mischievous.  
  
"I'm the only one in this world who can help you travel between dimensions."  
  
"Rubbish!"  
  
"It's true." Fye intervened.  
  
"What?" Kurogane turned to Fye and looked uncertain. "She's not lying?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
The woman looked too smug for Kurogane's taste.  
  
"So what will you do?" She asked.  
  
"Damn!" Kurogane exclaimed after a moment. He swung off the sheath and swirled it to her. "Once the curse on me is lifted, I'll be back to get it!" He promised angrily.  
  
The Witch carefully put away the sword and turned to Fye.  
  
"For you, it'll be that tattoo." She announced.  
  
Fye looked a bit taken aback.  
  
"This staff won't do?" He asked uncertainly.  
  
"No."  
  
Fye sighed, resigned.  
  
"Alright." He carefully took off his coat and leaned forward. The tattoo slipped off him as if it were leather and folded itself before floating over to the Witch.  
  
"And you?" She asked, turning to where Syaoran was crouched. "Will you give me your most precious possession, and in exchange get to travel?"  
  
One look at Sakura's pale face and his answer was decided.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Without knowing the price?"  
  
Syaoran looked unsure, but his answer was the same.  
  
"I can only help you travel between worlds. The fragments of her memory you must find yourself."  
  
"I know."  
  
There was a brief exchange of looks between the Witch and Syaoran. Finally, the woman smiled.  
  
"Very well."  
  
"There were none left!" A voice exclaimed, and all four turned to see Watanuki run to them, holding two bundles, one black and one white, in his hands.  
  
"There he is..." The Witch said.  
  
As Watanuki came closer, it became evident that the two bundles were in fact some weird animals. The white one was small, round and looked fuzzy. It had long heavy but hard ears. On the end of one of the ears, a red earring hung loosely on a golden attach. Its eyes were shut, and it seemed to smile. On its forehead, a red gem shone brightly in the rain.  
  
The black one was the same, but instead of a golden and red earring, his was silver and blue. On its forehead, the gem was a bright sky color.  
  
She picked the white one from Watanuki's arms and pointed to it.  
  
"His name is Mokona." She indicated the black one. "And this one is Modoki. Mokona will help you travel between dimensions."  
  
Kurogane was eyeing the black one.  
  
"Give me the other one, I'll travel with him."  
  
The Witch shook her head.  
  
"Modoki is only for communication. He can only interact with Mokona." She turned to the others. "Mokona can help you travel, but he has no control over the world in which you land, so it might take some time for your wish to come true." She petted Mokona. "There is no luck. Only Fate. Your meetings were bound to happen."  
  
She finally turned to Syaoran.  
  
"You price will be... That feeling."  
  
He looked bewildered.  
  
"That feeling is the thing which you hold dearest to your heart. I want it."  
  
"Wha--"  
  
"If she recovers her memories, she will have no memory of you and the two of you will never love each other like before." She looked curious. "Who is she to you?"  
  
Syaoran closed his eyes tightly and gripped Sakura's shoulders.  
  
"She's... A childhood friend... The princess of our country... The person that I hold dearest to my heart!"  
  
There was a pause as they all watched Syaoran shudder.  
  
"I see." The Witch whispered. "But if you take Mokona, that will disappear. Even if all her memory is recovered, she still won't have anything to remember you by. It is your price. Are you still willing?"  
  
Fye and Kurogane exchanged glances. Syaoran stared down at Sakura, debating on whether he should or not...  
  
"I am." He answered finally, and when he looked up, his eyes were bright. "I won't let her die!"  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
That was chapter 2!! What do you think? 


	3. The Feather of Chance

Chapter 3, the lines at the beginning of the chapter are lyrics on the front pages of each chapter... I just thought I could copy them.  
  
Disclaimer: From this point on, refer to previous chapters.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Time has stopped since that day I dreamed of the sky With you ---...  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Chapter 3: The FeAtHEr oF cHaNCe  
  
"Traveling through various worlds will be tougher than you think." The Witch declared. "Each world is very different from the others... Take for example... Yourselves. You come each from different worlds. It can be told by the clothing you wear or the accent you speak with. Do you understand?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"The worlds you come from are different. People that you know from past worlds may live in other worlds completely different lives. You'll meet the same people in various worlds. If they used to be nice to you, you cannot be sure they'll act the same again."  
  
Syaoran listened intently, and he could feel the others doing the same.  
  
"The languages and common sense change with the dimension. The rules and living standards may also change from world to world. In some, criminals, illness or war may surround you. Finding the fragments will take an unknown quantity of time and effort. However," She smiled. "You're still ready to undertake it, right?"  
  
Syaoran nodded without hesitation.  
  
The Witch outstretched Mokona and seemed to speak an incantation:  
  
"Perception of sincerity, something is needed to accomplish for the sake of someone!" Mokona started floating. "Well..." Mokona opened his mouth wide. "You best get going!"  
  
In a matter of seconds, the group was breathed in by Mokona and they all disappeared.  
  
The rain stopped. The Witch looked up and smiled as the sky cleared.  
  
"..." She spread out her arms. "Good luck on your journey!"  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Syaoran's face was wet. He didn't like it.  
  
Risking an eye open, he was met with the close-up of Mokona's face, holding a washcloth.  
  
Scary.  
  
"S-Sakura..." Was the only thing he managed to mutter, eyes wide.  
  
"PUU!! You didn't recognize Mokona!" The little creature squealed, faking a tear, as it dabbed away the dirt on his face.  
  
"Ah, you're awake!" A voice said, picking Mokona up and sitting it in his lap.  
  
Syaoran turned to see Fye, who was petting Mokona and smiling down at him.  
  
"Sakura!!" Syaoran exclaimed, sitting up suddenly, only to realize she was lying beside him. To his left sat Kurogane, frowning.  
  
Ah well, he must've still been bothered by the way of transportation...  
  
"I dabbed at her face, since she was wet in the rain." Fye explained. Mokona squirmed.  
  
"Mokona helped!" He wailed happily.  
  
"Heh, even in your sleep, you didn't let go of her! You are ---?"  
  
"Syaoran."  
  
"My name is pretty long. You can call me Fye. And Blackie over there is --- "  
  
Kurogane frowned and glared.  
  
"I'm not Blackie!! I'm Kurogane!!"  
  
"KURO-CHAN!!" Mokona squealed, jumping in the dark man's lap. Kurogane seemed to jump out of his skin.  
  
While Fye was watching Mokona annoy Kurogane, Syaoran looked around, noting they were in some sort of small room. Then, he passed a finger over Sakura's cheek.  
  
'She's so cold... If it continues like this, before we find all her memories, Sakura will..."  
  
Syaoran jumped as Fye's hand came behind him and started searching for something. He jumped, startled, as his hand grazed a part of his behind ---  
  
"The Hell are you doing??" Kurogane asked, his eyes conveying exasperation.  
  
"Ah-hah!!" Fye retreated triumphantly, holding a small feather, and Syaoran fell backwards, Sakura on top of him, relieved.  
  
'If I had known I would get felt up –'  
  
"This is a piece of memory of that girl, ne?"  
  
"EH??" Syaoran immediately looked up.  
  
"I suppose you caught it somehow. Here, give it back to her."  
  
They watched as the feather entered Sakura's chest and disappeared.  
  
"A piece of Sakura's memories..."  
  
Syaoran noted something just then.  
  
"Her body is getting a bit warmer! If that feather hadn't caught in my clothes ---"  
  
"There is no coincidence in this world." Kurogane interrupted.  
  
Both Fye and Syaoran stared at him.  
  
"Teh. That's what the witch said." Fye agreed, cuddling Mokona. "You may have grabbed that feather unconsciously... To help her..." Realizing that they were all staring at him, he grinned. "But I may be a fool! ... Anyway, how are we going to search for them, the feathers, I mean?"  
  
Mokona jumped up and onto Syaoran's head, mixing his little fists in his hair.  
  
"MOKONA KNOWS!!"  
  
"Heh?" Syaoran asked, looking up, making the white fuzz fall.  
  
"THE FEATHER HAD A VERY STRONG MAGIC!! MOKONA WILL SENSE IT, AND WHEN MOKONA DOES, MOKONA WILL BE LIKE ... THIS!!" And Mokona proceeded to open his eyes wide, revealing little beady black pearls.  
  
Kurogane and Syaoran were somewhat disconcerted, but Fye only leaned back and grinned.  
  
"If that's so," he declared. "Then it'll be way easier for us!"  
  
Syaoran smiled charmingly.  
  
"Will you tell me when a feather is close?"  
  
"PYU!!"  
  
Syaoran looked honestly grateful.  
  
"Thank you!"  
  
"Your going to search for the feathers or not is up to you." Kurogane said suddenly. "But it has nothing to do with me. I'm going back to my world without getting involved with any of your stuff."  
  
"Hai." Syaoran agreed. "This is my own problem. I can't expect any help from anyone."  
  
At that, Kurogane's eyes widened.  
  
"Ahahaha! Syaoran-kun is so mature!" Fye laughed and patted the boy's head.  
  
Indeed. Syaoran was very mature. And Kurogane wondered how it was that such a young boy could be more selfless than he, a ninja.  
  
Ah... Wait... Was a ninja selfless?  
  
"What about you?" The ninja suddenly asked Fye.  
  
"Hn?" The blonde asked, raising an eyebrow and making a small smile.  
  
"You're going to help that brat?"  
  
"Nn... Yes. The most important is not going back to my world. As long as my life isn't in danger..." He turned to Syaoran and grinned. "I'll help. There's nothing else to do."  
  
Kurogane only shrugged Mokona off, lost in thought.  
  
The door suddenly slammed open.  
  
"YO! You woke up!!"  
  
They all turned to a couple. The woman was an average size, slim and had a serious face. Her hair fell to her shoulders and she was holding a platter of cups. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and his face was welcoming and smiling. He held a food bowl in his hand.  
  
They each wore comfortable clothes, relaxed and modern.  
  
All three boys were on guard, but the man smiled and placed the food in front of them.  
  
"Don't be so alert. You come from Yuuko-san's place, right?"  
  
"Yuuko-san?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"The Witch, Nee-san. Or Witch of Dimensions, or whatever. She has many names."  
  
The woman held out a blanket to him.  
  
"Here."  
  
Syaoran smiled and thanked her. They proceeded to cover Sakura up with the cover.  
  
"I'm Arisugawa Sorata. Call me Sorata. This is Arashi, my wife. My lovely wife. I'm so happy I got to marry her... So –" He turned to Kurogane and placed his hands on his shoulders. "If you flirt with her, I'll kill you!" He said all of it with a wide smile.  
  
Kurogane made a face of disbelief.  
  
"WHY DID YOU SAY THAT TO ME??"  
  
"Joke, joke!" Sorata laughed. "But I'm serious."  
  
"I WON'T FLIRT!!"  
  
"Okay, okay. Well, first of all," He picked Mokona up. "You came here with him, given by Yuuko-san."  
  
"I'M MOKONA!!"  
  
"Mokona. And the blonde guy already told us the situation. Mainly him. Blackie was really cold."  
  
"SHUT UP."  
  
"For one thing, Nee-chans, you guys are pretty lucky."  
  
Fye lifted his hand and smiled.  
  
"Etto. Why?"  
  
"Mokona can't choose the next world you travel to, right?" They nodded. "Well then, you're lucky to be here, because, here in this world, there is only nothing but happiness!"  
  
He reached to open the window.  
  
"Here... IN THE REPUBLIC OF HANSHIN."  
  
And outside, they saw wild lights, huge buildings, active streets, and restaurants. Anything for a large city.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
That's it!! R&R!!! 


	4. The Power to Fight

Chapter 4!!!! YAY!!  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
A light no one can extinguish Definite resolution and strong passion Hidden in your eyes...  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Chapter 4: ThE PoWeR tO fiGHt  
  
Sorata smirked.  
  
"This place is the republic of Hanshin!" He held out a puppet with his face on it and proceeded to make it speak. "A really terrific island-country! We're surrounded by the sea. Sometimes we get typhoons, but hardly ever any earthquakes. Trading with countries across the sea has become prosperous and the trade is doing well lately."  
  
Taking out a large poster, he pinned it on he wall and pointed to the four sections.  
  
"We have four seasons."  
  
Indeed, on the paper, they could read:  
  
SPRING: Full of cherry blossoms SUMMER: Awesome beer AUTUMN: Yummy rice WINTER: Good for snowball fights  
  
"Now is autumn," Sorata continued. "A great season for food. Our main food is wheat flour. Our specialty is the sauce we make. Our written law is the Constitution of Hanshin. It forbids us to go to war with other countries. Methods of transportation are car, bicycle, motorcycle, train, ship, airplane, and --- maybe a baby carriage could count too, right honey?" He asked, a twinkle in his eye as he winked.  
  
"The island is shaped like a tiger, so it's often called the country of the tiger. That's why you can find a lot of things related to a tiger. The currency is even called the koko! (NOTE: koko MEANS TIGER) Like 1 koko or 10 000 koko. The national flag also has the tiger on it. Our baseball team's logo is also a tiger. (NOTE: A TEAM IN JAPAN ACTUALLY HAS A TIGER AS A LOGO. SWEET!) Our baseball team is very good. They're super brave. Well, maybe it's a subtle kind of strength..."  
  
"Haaai! Can I ask a question?" Fye asked, raising his hand high.  
  
"Hai, Fye-kun!"  
  
"Everyone in this country, Sorata-san, do they speak with your accent?"  
  
Meanwhile, Mokona was climbing on Fye's shoulder, Syaoran was intently listening, and Kurogane was sitting on the far wall, wondering what the Hell baseball was.  
  
"Call me Sora-chan. My way of speaking is actually a very old dialect."  
  
"The way they spoke here in the past?" Syaoran asked, interested and very serious. Fye watched amusedly.  
  
"Yeah, but nobody really uses it anymore. I'm a history teacher. I hate seeing things falling into disuse like that."  
  
"You're a history teacher??" Syaoran asked, attentive.  
  
"Yep!" He lowered his puppet to Syaoran's face. "Are you interested in history, Syaoran-kun?"  
  
"Hai. Back in my country, I was an archeologist."  
  
"Well, we'll probably have lots to talk about!" Sorata exclaimed enthusiastically.  
  
Fye leaned over behind Syaoran and raised his hand again.  
  
"Can I ask another question?"  
  
Syaoran felt Mokona climb on top of his head and decided not to move too much, in case the fuzz ball would fall and hurt itself.  
  
"Hai, Fye-kun! I'm all ears!"  
  
"De, what is this place? Someone's room?"  
  
"Good question!" Sorata placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "It is an empty room at a lodging inn that honey and I run. Isn't that wonderful?"  
  
He turned suddenly to Kurogane, whom was starting to doze off.  
  
"YOU!" He called, making the black haired man jump. "DON'T GO TO SLEEP!"  
  
And Kurogane seemed to be hit in the back of the head.  
  
The only thing was: no one was behind him.  
  
"What?!?" All three boys gasped, rising to their feet, ready for attack.  
  
Syaoran reached to protect Sakura, and Kurogane placed himself in the middle of the room.  
  
"What was that?? YOU!" Kurogane yelped, turning to Sorata. "Did you throw something at me??"  
  
"If he threw something at you, it couldn't have possibly come from that direction." Fye explained, alert and logic. "It obviously came from behind you."  
  
Sorata looked disgruntled.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He asked. "I was using my kudan, of course."  
  
"Kudan?" The three questioned in time.  
  
"You don't know?? Oh," he hit his forehead. "Of course you wouldn't know! You come from a different world!" He proceeded to an explanation. "Everyone in this world is possessed by a kudan. This –"He wrote on a board. "Is how you would write it in kanji."  
  
"Ah, I see..." Kurogane sarcastically replied.  
  
"MOKONA CAN READ!!"  
  
"I don't get it at all." Fye said with a wide smile. "You, Syaoran-kun?"  
  
"Somehow." Syaoran answered.  
  
"Kurogane and Syaoran's worlds use the kanji, but Fye's doesn't. That's why you can't read it. What surprises me is that you can still speak amongst yourselves and understand each other." Sorata concluded.  
  
"So what's this kudan stuff, anyway?" Kurogane asked, his eyes hard. "I don't see why everyone can be possessed."  
  
"Even people who come from a different world have a kudan in this one." Arashi, Sorata's wife, interjected calmly. She crouched beside Sakura. "May I call her Sakura-san?" She asked Syaoran.  
  
"Hai..."  
  
"I don't know where the pieces of Sakura-san's memory are, but if they fall in the wrong hands, they may cause a war. You have both lost the power to fight, haven't you?" She said, turning to Fye and Kurogane.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Fye asked cryptically.  
  
"My honey was originally a miko. She has spiritual power. Ma, she gave up her job when she married me. You should've seen her dressed as a miko! It was divine!"  
  
Fye and Arashi exchanged glances and finally, Fye admitted.  
  
"I gave all my power to the Witch of Dimensions."  
  
"I HAD TO GIVE HER MY KATANA." Kurogane exclaimed, frustrated.  
  
Syaoran avoided everyone's gaze and answered as well.  
  
"The thing I had to give up wasn't any sort of power. From the beginning, I didn't have any sort of magical power or weapon."  
  
As I thought, you're probably the luckiest one." Arashi told him, and he looked up suddenly.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"In this world, everyone needs their kudan. If a fight breaks out, you can retaliate."  
  
"Kudan is something you fight with?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"What you use it for and how all depends on you. Seeing is believing." Sorata answered for his wife. "What is a kudan, you ask? Look and experience yourself." He sighed. "And that concludes the explanation of this country." He put his puppet away.  
  
"Just like that??" Kurogane muttered, dumbfounded.  
  
Sorata leaned towards Mokona, who was now held in Syaoran's palms.  
  
"Well, do you think any of Sakura-chan's feathers are in this world?" He asked the white little thing.  
  
"They are." Mokona answered, suddenly calm. "They're still very far, but they're here, in this country."  
  
"Will you go search for the feathers, Syaoran-kun?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"And you, nee-san?" Sorata asked Fye.  
  
"For the time being," Fye answered with a smile.  
  
"If I said I wanted to move on," Kurogane asked slowly, carefully. "Would that white thing do it?"  
  
"I won't do it. Mokona will stay here until we find the feathers!"  
  
Kurogane frowned and glared at Mokona. Fye grinned. Syaoran just smiled at Mokona.  
  
"Thank you, Mokona!" He said, smiling in that boyish way of his.  
  
"Well," Sorata declared, standing. "While you're in this world, we'll look after you. We're indebted to Yuuko-san, after all." He winked at Arashi. "Until you leave, you can stay here."  
  
Syaoran bowed and smiled.  
  
"Thank you very much."  
  
"It's already past midnight. We should get to sleep. I'll show you your rooms. Oh, yeah!" He turned to the two eldest travelers. "Fye and Kurogane will share a room, yes?"  
  
"Haai!" Fye answered loosely.  
  
"WHAT???" Kurogane cried out. "Why should I have to share with this suspicious looking guy??" He asked, loud-mouthed as ever.  
  
"I'm not suspicious." Fye grinned. "I already introduced myself, haven't I?"  
  
"MOKONA'S BEEN INTRODUCED TOO!"  
  
"You're even more suspicious." Kurogane sighed in defeat.  
  
They exited the room. Arashi held Syaoran's wrist.  
  
"You can stay in here."  
  
"Thank you. I wish to stay with her." He responded sadly, looking at Sakura's pale face under the covers.  
  
"You should try and get some sleep. In this country, you never know what may happen next. It's better to rest while you can."  
  
"Hai."  
  
"We will protect you while you're here."  
  
"MOKONA WILL STAY WITH SYAORAN!!" They both heard, as Mokona hobbled into the room again. "KURO-CHAN ISN'T NICE."  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
'This dog is on fire.' Syaoran noted as soon as he fell asleep. There was a dark place, in the middle of which a flaming animal was sitting. As soon as he could focus on the horned creature, he saw it coming close to him.  
  
Somehow, the fact that it was made of flames didn't seem to bother Syaoran. It only filled him with an awkward sense of self-consciousness, as if he were in presence of something or someone important.  
  
"I am the ruler of those who preside over fire, Rayearth." The creature said, its quiet voice rich and dark. "I have been waiting for one who is suitable for me. Do you desire this power?"  
  
Syaoran was barefoot and in simple clothing, and he would have felt cold, normally. Instead, he felt very warm.  
  
"... Hai... I do."  
  
"Using me, you can acquire that power. What do you desire most, boy?"  
  
Syaoran couldn't tear his eyes away from the slowly approaching creature.  
  
"I wish to protect the one who is precious to me."  
  
Almost in slow motion, the creature leaped for him. All Syaoran could do was brace himself as he felt it go excruciatingly slowly through him.  
  
"I admit your strength of heart, thinking solely about the one you love."  
  
Syaoran was jerked awake and found himself lying beside Sakura, who hadn't moved.  
  
'I didn't know Mokona did those weird 'pyu' noises in his sleep...' He shook his head. 'What was that? A dream?'  
  
He clenched a hand to his heart.  
  
'I feel so warm...'  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
WANT ME TO CONTINUE???? 


	5. The Moment of Awakening

Enjoy!!  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
In the continuing battle I could see your smile Until that day...  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Chapter 5: ThE MoMeNT oF aWaKeNinG  
  
"So," Sorata announced the next morning, "rather than just sit in the room, we'll search for Sakura-chan's memories!"  
  
Fye waved up at the man, stretching the three quarter sleeve of the shirt Sorata had lended him.  
  
"Ha—i!" He smiled lazily.  
  
The blonde wore a relaxed white shirt, which barely covered his stomach. Indeed, Fye was very tall and every time he moved his shoulders, one would get a faint glimpse of his flat stomach. His jeans were long, not large, and were tightened around the waist by a belt. He wore old, ragged sneakers, which seemed to suit him just fine. All in all, the magician looked relaxed.  
  
"We'll try looking in this area," Syaoran declared, serious and determined.  
  
He wore large, baggy clothes, with khakis and a large T-shirt. Slightly orange colored, Syaoran was pleased to say it fit him well. The archeologist decided to keep the loose hood off.  
  
"..." Behind them, Kurogane sulked.  
  
The black ninja had abandoned the flowing cape and armor, instead choosing himself a tight black shirt in Sorata's drawers, which molded his built form. He wore large jeans, black as well, and the fell atop his running shoes loosely.  
  
"Oh," Sorata noted, checking his watch, "I should get going. It's not funny if sensei is late! (NOTE: sensei MEANS TEACHER)" He leaned towards Syaoran and smiled, adjusting his official clothes. "You should try looking around. You'll understand more about the kudan phenomenon I told you about yesterday."  
  
"Hai," Syaoran nodded, glancing up at the window of his room uncertainly.  
  
"I'll keep watch on her," Arashi supplied kindly.  
  
"Hai, thank you."  
  
"Do we have to bring that white thing?" Kurogane asked, irritated, pointing Mokona with his index.  
  
"IT'S NOT WHITE THING, IT'S MOKONA!!!" The fluff ball wailed, jumping on the ninja's shoulder.  
  
"If you don't bring Mokona, you won't know when the feathers are close-by," Sorata told Syaoran. "Besides, no one will question it. It's quite a common sight."  
  
"Heh?" Syaoran asked, curious.  
  
Behind them, Fye was tickling Mokona, who still gripped on Kurogane.  
  
"If Mokona is the white thing, Kuro-chan is the blackie, ne?"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"OKAY!" Sorata declared, calling their attention to a frog-shaped wallet. "Here is your lunch money so you three can go eat together." He handed it to Syaoran. "Of course, honey's breakfast is better than any food, but –"  
  
"Hey," Kurogane called, glaring. "Why are you giving the money to the brat??"  
  
"Because he looks the most reliable!" Sorata declared, walking off, giving them a thumbs-up sign.  
  
"WHAT???" Kurogane exclaimed as Fye simply laughed, Mokona on his shoulder.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
"It's a lively town, ne?" Fye lazily noted, hands in pockets, as they walked down the streets of the busy city.  
  
"THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE!!" Mokona called from atop Syaoran's head.  
  
"The high and low buildings are mixed together," Syaoran said, pointing to a low museum, and then to two very high towers, square in shape. (NOTE: IN THE MANGA, YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE TWIN TOWERS.)  
  
"Has Syaoran-kun ever seen this kind of thing?"  
  
"Never." Syaoran answered, keeping his eyes wide open.  
  
"And Kurotan?" Fye asked, turning back to a stomping Kurogane.  
  
"No. Don't call me like that!!!"  
  
Syaoran turned suddenly to look at Kurogane, but couldn't help noticing that a few girls were staring at him and giggling. Although quite uncomfortable, he tried to ignore it. Almost just then, Kurogane leaned towards him and said:  
  
"You were being laughed at." He declared it with a smug smirk. Only it wasn't directed to Syaoran himself, but rather at the white creature in his hair.  
  
"MOKONA IS POPULAR!! (NOTE: MOKONA IS THE NAME OF ONE OF THE DRAWING ARTISTS, MOKONA APAPA, IN THE CLAMP TEAM.)"  
  
"You're not!" Kurogane grimaced.  
  
"WELCOME!!" They all heard to their side.  
  
They were currently walking through a market, and they noticed a man with a white bandana making them wild signs to come over.  
  
They did so, although Kurogane was slightly suspicious.  
  
"Want to buy some apples?" The man said, showing them one of his ripe apples.  
  
Syaoran blinked.  
  
"That is an apple?" He questioned, surprised.  
  
"Course it is! What'd you think it'd be?"  
  
"In Syaoran-kun's world, apples don't look like this?" Fye asked, leaning down and staring at the apple.  
  
Ignoring the mess Mokona was putting his hair in, Syaoran turned to Fye and elaborated.  
  
"The shape is the same, but its color is a lighter shade of yellow."  
  
"Hn? That's a pear." Kurogane declared.  
  
"No, a pear is redder with a calyx on top." Syaoran told Kurogane, abashed.  
  
"That's a tomato!" The ninja countered.  
  
"Isn't it a raki fruit?" Fye asked.  
  
By now all were ignoring the fruit seller.  
  
"De, do you want it??" He asked suddenly.  
  
"I WANT IT!!" Mokona wailed.  
  
"Eh?" Syaoran asked, looking up, forcing Mokona to hold on tight.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
"Ne, this apple is delicious, isn't it?" Fye said, biting once again in the fruit as the leaned over a small bridge.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"It seems we truly come from different cultures," the magician declared, turning to the youngest of the trio. "That reminds me: how did Syaoran-kun reach that witch's place? You said you didn't have any magical powers..."  
  
Syaoran shook his head and ignored the scary sight of Mokona as the creature gulped down his apple in one bite.  
  
"The priest of my country sent us," he told Fye.  
  
Fye whistled under his breath.  
  
"Amazing. That shinkan-san sent two people to another dimension at once when one is already pretty hard to transport... And Kurorin?"  
  
"I give up," Kurogane sighed at the name-calling. "The hime of my country sent me by force." His tone was bitter.  
  
Fye pointed to Kurogane with a wide grin.  
  
"You were punished for doing bad things!!" He exclaimed, a laughing tone in his voice.  
  
"Scolded?" Syaoran looked surprised himself.  
  
"SHUT UP! What about yourself?" He asked Fye, eager to change the subject.  
  
"What, me? I went myself."  
  
"What?? If that's the case, you don't need to rely on that witch! You can travel yourself!" Kurogane accused.  
  
Fye shook his head and smiled lazily.  
  
"Nope. Impossible." He smiled kindly, but with an underlying tone of frustration. "With my power, I can only travel elsewhere once. Those who sent Syaoran-kun and Kurochin are very powerful. But sending someone to another world can only be done once."  
  
His two companions looked up suddenly.  
  
"That is why shinkan-san sent Syaoran-kun to the witch's place. Getting the feathers of Sakura-chan's memory back can only be done by traveling through many worlds, something which can be done only by the witch of dimensions."  
  
Syaoran looked down at his apple...  
  
FLASHBACK--------------  
  
"Hime-sama! Would you like some apples?"  
  
Syaoran watched the exchange from his door, which he had left slightly ajar. The lady gave the yellow fruits eagerly to the princess, who smiled in return.  
  
"Yes, thank you very much!!"  
  
END FLASHBACK ------  
  
"Sakura..." He whispered, staring at the red flesh of the fruit.  
  
"KYAAAAAAA!!"  
  
The trio turned, only to see that the crowd was now making a way to a large group, who wore scarves and goggles. The apparent leader, a young man with a long ponytail and a wide, knowing grin, swept in front of them like a prince.  
  
Another group seemed to stand in their way, and they all wore caps.  
  
"This time," one of them called to the ponytail guy, "we'll fight you and take over this neighborhood for good!!"  
  
The young man only gave him a thumbs down sign, his grin spreading to the gang behind him.  
  
There was a real commotion around them, but all Fye, Syaoran and Kurogane could do was stand and watch.  
  
"Hyu... Neat!" The blonde magician exclaimed, shielding his eyes from the glaring sun to see better.  
  
"It's a territorial fight again!!"  
  
"You bastards!! Just because you have a strong kudan!!"  
  
"Don't be so sure of yourselves!!"  
  
"Kudan?" Syaoran whispered, hearing the exchange.  
  
A sudden jolt hit his chest, and he reached up to it, surprised.  
  
"Why do I feel so warm?"  
  
The man with the ponytail lifted his arm, signaling to the team behind him. They all surged forward, and a dozen of small, strange creatures appeared at their sides.  
  
To counter-attack, the men with the caps sent their own beasts upward, willing them to hit something.  
  
"EH?!" Syaoran exclaimed at the sight.  
  
The animals, lined up to face each other, were now spitting fire, making the whole square light up.  
  
"So that's kudan," Kurogane muttered.  
  
Fye grinned.  
  
"No wonder no one seemed surprised of Mokona," he said, ignoring the angry calls made to the gangs.  
  
Syaoran tugged on Fye's sleeve and the two men looked up at the kudan which was now forming. It was huge, with a shapeless form and an ugly face. Floating rapidly towards the goggled leader, it lifted its arms.  
  
The pony tailed leader smirked.  
  
Lifting an arm, he seemed to summon his own kudan, a bluish manta ray, big and graceful.  
  
In a split-second, it was attacking the other monster, water splashing in great quantities around them.  
  
The kudan was destroyed, but the water didn't stop there. Descending rapidly towards the crowd, it landed forcefully on the pavement, forcing people to run and find a shelter.  
  
Syaoran saw a boy trip.  
  
"LOOK OUT!!!"  
  
Running over to the young boy and his friend, he shielded them with his body and tightly closed his eyes, waiting for the impact.  
  
It never came. Instead, a gigantic burst of fire spread from behind Syaoran and forced the water to evaporate swiftly.  
  
As the ray and the fire dissipated, Syaoran looked up to find the goggled leader looking down at them with a smirk.  
  
"Your kudan seems to be also at a high level..." He told Syaoran, who grit his teeth.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
R&R? 


	6. The Heart's Strength

GAH. Read. *smiles*  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
A locked past, a hidden magic The time when the seal breaks... The world will change...  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Chapter 6: tHE HeARt's sTRenGTH  
  
Syaoran stared to his side at the wolf made of fire his dreams had showed him. It was placed in front of him and the two boys, paws spread, in a tense position.  
  
The leader with the ponytail smirked down at them, a hand reaching up to touch his ray kudan at his side.  
  
"A kudan that controls fire?" He noted slowly, his grin never leaving his face. "Mine is water and yours is fire... Interesting..."  
  
The manta ray opened its mouth wide, a blast of water surging from it. Syaoran barely had the time to react. Standing hurriedly, he outspreaded his arms.  
  
The water was diverted everywhere else but in the sudden blaze, as Syaoran's kudan halted it, a steaming dome around them.  
  
"I'm Asagi Shougo," the ponytail man said as the fire and water slowly disappeared. "Yours?"  
  
Syaoran peered up at him from behind the steaming fog and answered him, eyes defying.  
  
"Syaoran."  
  
Rayearth was back at his side, threatening anyone to come closer.  
  
"I like you," Asagi Shougo simply declared in the sudden silence of the crowd.  
  
"SHOUGO!! The police are here!!"  
  
Shougo looked downcast. He frowned, but then shrugged.  
  
"And it was just about to get fun... ALRIGHT!! Let's go!!"  
  
As the whole gang ran off, Asagi Shougo turned to Syaoran and smirked.  
  
"I'll be looking forward to our next meeting."  
  
And he was gone.  
  
Syaoran was still a bit tense as the police started following them, but finally relaxed.  
  
Rayearth suddenly burst into flames, entering Syaoran's chest forcefully, enough to make the boy back off a bit. Then, it was gone.  
  
"It... Went inside my body?" He whispered, reaching up to his flaming chest.  
  
Fye placed a hand on his shoulder and whistled faintly.  
  
"That was great, ne? Was it really Syaoran-kun that let out that thing?"  
  
"That thing was also a kudan, right?" Kurogane asked, his hands in his pockets as he slowly made his way towards them, surprisingly calm.  
  
"I don't know. I just suddenly felt very warm..." He swiftly turned to the two young boys. "Are you hurt?!?"  
  
The seemingly oldest one shook his head, smiling faintly.  
  
"And you?" Syaoran asked the other one. "Are you alr—"  
  
But he didn't finish his sentence as the child burst into mist and disappeared.  
  
"What the –"  
  
"Ah!" Fye exclaimed, hitting his fist in his palm. "That kid was also a kudan!"  
  
Kurogane seemed really out of place suddenly.  
  
"Guess a kudan can be anything, then..." He muttered.  
  
"That reminds me..." Fye said. "Where did our little kudan-looking friend go off to?"  
  
"Mokona!" Syaoran remembered, scanning the square with wide eyes.  
  
"Ah... Maybe he got crushed over there..." Kurogane sighed. "Geez, what a pain in the butt..."  
  
"Nope!!" Fye grinned laughingly. "Seems like he didn't! Look!"  
  
The trio turned to a small group of girls, who were holding up a little white fluff ball.  
  
"So CUTE!! Kya!"  
  
"He's so soft!"  
  
"MOKONA IS FAMOUS!!!"  
  
Kurogane blinked.  
  
A few minutes later, after Syaoran had finally convinced the ladies to let go of their fuzzy friend, Mokona sat atop his hair again.  
  
Fye put his hands to his waist and leaned forward.  
  
"Now where did Mokona go off to?" He asked, a small grin on his face.  
  
"Mokona was on top of Kurogane's hair, and then he dropped me!" The white fluff suddenly jumped and grabbed a fistful of Syaoran's locks. "LISTEN, LISTEN!! A while ago, Mokona got like this!!" And he opened his eyes wide. "But nobody noticed!"  
  
"One of Sakura's feathers is around here??" Syaoran asked, grabbing Mokona by the sides and bringing him close to his face.  
  
"It was, but I don't feel it anymore..."  
  
"Do you know who has it?"  
  
Mokona slowly shook his little head and looked sad.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
Syaoran's face fell. He looked completely down.  
  
"I see..."  
  
Mokona really looked depressed now. Seeing this, Fye lifted a finger.  
  
"Saying that 'someone around here has it' is a bit vague. There were too many people after all. But at least we know that someone in this place has it. It's a start."  
  
Syaoran smiled slowly, and then down at Mokona.  
  
"Next time you feel something, let me know."  
  
"MOKONA WILL WORK HARD!!"  
  
"Kurocchi, it's your fault: you dropped Mokona in the first place!"  
  
"Don't blame it all on me, and stop calling me that!!"  
  
"Ano, thank you very much..." The young boy said, bowing to Syaoran.  
  
The boy face was shapeless, and he wore a straight uniform. He held a small suitcase in his hand and his hair was pitch black, cut neatly.  
  
"My name is Saitou Masayoshi!" He told them. "Please let me do something to thank you!"  
  
Syaoran raised his hands and smiled.  
  
"I didn't do anything!"  
  
Masayoshi frowned.  
  
"But –"  
  
"I WANT TO EAT!!!" Mokona yelped from atop Syaoran's hair. "AT A VERY GOOD PLACE!!"  
  
"Eh?" Syaoran muttered.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
"So this is...?"  
  
They were sitting at a table in a restaurant, next to a large window. All of them were staring down at their plates of steaming noodles, which were slowly cooking.  
  
"I like the okonomiyaki here the most!" Saitou explained.  
  
"So this is okonomiyaki?" Fye repeated, happy that his sentence was completed.  
  
"Uh? Okonomiyaki is a main dish, here in Hanshin. If you don't know that, then that means..."  
  
Kurogane glanced up from his plate to glare at the small young man. Saitou didn't see it.  
  
"Did you come from abroad?"  
  
The ninja was back to glaring at his plate, Mokona on his shoulder. Fye placed his chin in his hand and answered cryptically.  
  
"Outsiders are outsiders."  
  
At Saitou's inquisitive face, Fye smiled and Syaoran absorbed himself in the fascinating view of his plate.  
  
"Are those guys always fighting here? The guys with the caps and the guys with the goggles?"  
  
Masayochi looked a bit nervous and he answered them slowly.  
  
"Ah... That was a territorial fight. The people here form teams and then the teams compete to see which one has the most powerful kudan."  
  
"Then, whichever team is the strongest takes control of the place, right?"  
  
"But fighting in public places can be dangerous. Someone might get hurt." Syaoran cut in.  
  
"That's true, Masayochi-kun almost got hurt."  
  
"OKONOMIYAKI LOOKS DELICIOUS!!" Mokona exclaimed, ruffling Kurogane's hair. The ninja simply ignored him, intent was he on staring at the strange food, patient as it cooked.  
  
Saitou turned to Syaoran.  
  
"That's just because I'm slow... Ano, there are bad teams, but there are good teams as well! They patrol their area so that gangs don't get violent or out of control! They protect it against people who would do bad things."  
  
"They sound like a vigilance corps, ne? How about those teams, just now?"  
  
"The ones with the hats are bad guys. But the ones with the goggles are different! When they fight, they might mess up a few buildings and a few old people might get upset, but other than that, they don't do anything wrong! They're so cool!" Saitou stood suddenly. "Especially their leader, Shougo-san! He's got a high level kudan! It's big, strong, and everyone loves it!"  
  
By now, all the table's occupants were staring up at him, except for Kurogane, who was still intently staring down at his plate.  
  
"SMELLS GOOD!!" Mokona yelped from Kurogane's bent head.  
  
Saitou sat back down swiftly.  
  
"Ex-Excuse me..."  
  
"You really look up to him, ne?" Fye grinned.  
  
"Ha-Hai!" He turned to Syaoran. "But I admire Syaoran-kun too."  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"You have a really high level kudan," Saitou elaborated. "That's so cool!"  
  
"The goggled team leader said that too," Fye wondered.  
  
"What is that high level thing?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"It's the kudan's level of quality," Masayochi explained. "The lowest is level four. Then, it's level three, level two, level one, and high class is the best. The kudan system was discontinued a long time ago, but people still use it."  
  
"Jaa. That leader has a very strong kudan, ne?"  
  
"Hai. Syaoran-kun also does. A strong kudan, especially a high class one, is only possessed by someone who has a strong heart. Your kudan is controlled by you heart. Being able to control your kudan is proof of that strength. I admire that. Because mine is at the lowest level, four."  
  
"Masayochi-kun..." Syaoran whispered, looking at the downcast face of their host.  
  
"Ne, but when did Syaoran-kun get a kudan?"  
  
"Oh, true... Last night I got this dream..."  
  
"Dream, ne?"  
  
Meanwhile, Kurogane was staring at their plates, a fork in hand, waiting for the right moment to turn the noodles over. Mokona was just as attentive, watching with interest as Kurogane slipped the fork under the dish, preparing to turn it over in one swift movement.  
  
"WAIT!"  
  
Kurogane jumped up, fork in hand, as two waiters ran to them, huge beer mugs in hand.  
  
Syaoran was shocked.  
  
"OU-SAMA? And Shinkan-sama??? (NOTE: ou-sama MEANS KING, AND shinkan-sama MEANS MAGICIAN)"  
  
He was staring at the perfect copies of Touya and Yukito. Both were wearing waiters' aprons and had bandanas on their foreheads.  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
R&R? Please? 


	7. Joined Worlds

Ooooo... Getting interesting... READ!!  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
Chapter 7: JOiNeD wORLds  
  
"OU-SAMA!! Why are you here??"  
  
Touya's copy was staring at him with a straight face.  
  
"You've mistaken me. My name isn't Ousama. (BIN LADEN!! HAHA!)"  
  
"Uh?"  
  
Touya turned to Kurogane, who was still standing, fork in hand, in front of the steaming noodles.  
  
"Sir, please wait. We'll turn it over for you in a bit."  
  
The two waiters left, and Kurogane sat back down hurriedly.  
  
Syaoran thought he heard Yukito call Touya.  
  
"Ou-sama sounds cool, ne?"  
  
"It doesn't!"  
  
He sighed.  
  
"He was the king in your country?" Fye asked, his arm on the back of the bench as he turned to watch them leave.  
  
"Hai..."  
  
"And that guy next to him was the priest, ne?"  
  
Meanwhile, Masayochi was explaining to the ninja how things worked.  
  
"Okonomiyaki here is served by the waiters. You don't need to do anything."  
  
"Hn."  
  
"YOU WERE SCOLDED!!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"It's just like that witch of dimensions said, ne?" Fye noted, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "People we knew from other worlds lead different lives in different worlds..."  
  
"So those two are the same king and priest of the brat's country?" Kurogane asked, not really expecting an answer.  
  
"They're the same, but not the same," Fye said, not noticing the curious glances Masayochi was sending them. "Two people who were in Syaoran-kun's country lead different lives here. But so to speak," his eyes became focused and he seemed to enter his 'magician' persona, "their origin is the same."  
  
"'Origin'?" Kurogane questioned, his arms folding in front of him and his head turning to the blonde young man.  
  
"The basis of their life: nature, heart..." Fye did a small heart shape with his fingers and grinned.  
  
"Soul, you mean?" Kurogane asked, as if he thought the magician didn't have enough vocabulary to find the word.  
  
Syaoran wasn't listening much anymore. Lost in thought, he watched as the copies of the priest and king passed by again, and he heard Yukito tease Touya.  
  
"From now on, I'll call you Ou-sama!"  
  
"Don't."  
  
The archaeologist was worried, actually. How were the real Touya and Yukito? Were they healing from the fight? They were probably, but Syaoran couldn't help the worry. What if Sakura came back to find her only living family wasn't living anymore?  
  
Sakura... Yukito the Priest had sent the two of them to he Witch of Dimensions, hoping he'd save Sakura.  
  
He would, even if it was the last thing he ever did.  
  
"Syaoran-kuuun... If you don't hurry up, the food'll be gone!" Fye called, snapping the younger boy out of his reverie. "Geez, chopsticks are hard to use!"  
  
"Hai." Syaoran smiled, grabbing his own chopsticks and starting his noodles, ignoring the fight Kurogane and Mokona were having.  
  
"Ah! That's mine, damnit!"  
  
"Ano, shall I order another one?"  
  
"Ittadakimasu!"  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
"THAT WAS ------- DELICIOUS!!" Mokona exclaimed as the four boys came out.  
  
"It really was, ne?" Fye grinned. Kurogane said nothing, but Syaoran completed for the three of them.  
  
"Thank you for taking us here. It was really good."  
  
Masayochi looked happy.  
  
"There are also others. Takoyaki is good too..."  
  
As they walked away, they didn't notice a gang of punks watching them from around a corner.  
  
"Well... What should we do now?" Fye asked Syaoran as they walked in a mall.  
  
"I want to search more in this area."  
  
"Nn... But we don't know our way around here, so we can't get far, ne? We could lose our way back to Sora-chan's place."  
  
"A-ano! You are going somewhere?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"What place?" Masayochi asked Syaoran with enthusiasm.  
  
"I don't know yet. I'm looking for something."  
  
"If that's so, I'll go with you! I can show the way!"  
  
"Isn't that a bothe---?"  
  
"Not at all!" The young scholar hurried to a phone booth. "I'll call home! Wait here!"  
  
"MOKONA CAN CALL TOO!! MOSHI MOSHI!! MOSHI MOSHI!! (NOTE: moshi moshi MEANS, BASICALLY, Hello, hello?)" Mokona called from atop Syaoran's head.  
  
"He really admires you," Fye grinned at Syaoran.  
  
The boy only smiled sheepishly.  
  
"By the way," Fye caught Mokona and placed him atop his blonde head, "About the dreams?"  
  
"Hai, it appeared a short time ago... The beast of flame, Rayearth..."  
  
"You dreamed of a beast. I did as well," Kurogane said, arms crossed.  
  
"Me too," Fye declared.  
  
"WHICH ONE HERE'S NAME IS SYAORAN?" A voice boomed ahead of them.  
  
The three turned to the group that stood there. They were all wearing flashy colored hair in spikes, their clothes dark. They wore chains. Their leader, a small, fat man with black painted lips and small beady eyes stood in front of them.  
  
"What do you want?" Fye asked with a smile.  
  
"Are you the one Shougo is interested in?"  
  
Fye shrugged.  
  
"What if we were?"  
  
The punk frowned, while Kurogane glared at him out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"I am Syaoran."  
  
The leader seemed abashed.  
  
"THIS KID?? REALLY?" He turned to one of his gang members.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure!"  
  
"Are you going to join Shougo's team?" The boss asked, beady eyes defying.  
  
"Team?" Syaoran questioned suspiciously.  
  
"Shougo's team is already large. If their number increases, it'll be bad for us. Shougo approved of you: you must have a strong kudan! If you're going to join his team, I won't allow it!"  
  
"I'm not going to."  
  
The other one looked hopeful.  
  
"Then you're joining us??"  
  
"I won't. There's something I need to do, so..."  
  
"You're going to form a new team!!"  
  
"Eh?! No, that's not what I mean ---"  
  
"I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU NOW!!!" The punk yelled, calling forth his kudan, a gigantic crab-like monster with no eyes but a thick skeleton.  
  
"IT'S HUGE, NE?" Fye and Mokona yelled in unison.  
  
"I'm not planning to form a team!" Syaoran yelled helplessly.  
  
The creature still attacked, and Syaoran ducked as sharp stings caught in the pillar behind him.  
  
People ran for shelter.  
  
Fye's eyes thinned slightly.  
  
"Seems he won't listen," he whispered darkly.  
  
As the magician moved forward, an extended hand halted him. Kurogane stepped towards the punk, a small smirk on his lips.  
  
"I'm bored," he explained, "I'll be your opponent."  
  
"Kurogane was having fun just now!" Mokona yelped to Fye, pointing a toy store Kurogane had been previously observing. "He wasn't bored!"  
  
"He was enjoying the republic of Hanshin," Fye explained to the creature, a faint smile on his lips.  
  
"HEY! Shut up, you two!!"  
  
"Kurogane-san!" Syaoran called. "Your sword is with the Witch!"  
  
Kurogane turned away and looked up.  
  
"That sword was for breaking magic; a special one. It was important for killing a demon in my country." He watched as the punk's demon loomed above. "Kudan isn't demon right?"  
  
"What's your level of kudan?" The leader asked, irritated.  
  
"I don't know," the ninja answered. "Nor do I care. Stop grumbling and get on with it."  
  
"Syaoran-kuuun!!" Masayochi yelled as he came back hurriedly.  
  
"Masayochi-kun, do you know who they are?" Fye asked, smiling as though nothing bad was going on.  
  
"They're the team competing for the area! This place belongs to Shougo- san!"  
  
"Are they strong?"  
  
Masayochi nodded breathlessly.  
  
"Kudan level one! The leader may not look very aerodynamic, but his kudan is very fast!!"  
  
"TAKE THIS!!" The punk yelled. "KANINABE SENKKAI!!"  
  
Kurogane effortlessly did a back flip, avoiding by a few inches the full blast of knife edged needles.  
  
However, the pillar behind him was cut in half.  
  
"It cut it??" Syaoran yelped, shocked.  
  
"That kudan can sever a limb!" Masayochi supplied.  
  
"CATCH HIM!!" The boss yelled, willing his kudan to hit the ever-escaping ninja.  
  
"Watch out!!" Syaoran cried as Kurogane managed to barely avoid the latest onslaught.  
  
The archaeologist hurried forward, but Fye held him back with one hand.  
  
"Don't," He smiled. "He'll get mad if you help him. Kurotan, I mean."  
  
"KANIDOU RAKU!!"  
  
This time, Kurogane was hit, and he shielded his eyes against the force of the blast.  
  
"KUROGANE-SAN!!"  
  
The ninja fell to the pavement. The punks laughed.  
  
"What's wrong?" The leader asked laughingly. "Is your kudan so weak you can't show it??"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
The black-clad young man lifted himself steadily, his body bleeding and scarred. His face was spared, but the arms that had protected him were dark red. His eyes held a certain deadly darkness to them.  
  
"MY KUDAN IS AN ESPECIALLY TOUGH LEVEL ONE!!!" The leader warned.  
  
"But there's a weak point," Kurogane whispered. "In short, if I had a sword..."  
  
As if on cue, there was a huge blast of water that surged from his chest, and he found himself underneath the paws of a giant blue and gold dragon.  
  
"You! You're Seles! You appeared in my dream!"  
  
The dragon said nothing, but it changed to a flowing, soon solid sword, which Kurogane grabbed steadily.  
  
"You want me to fight, eh?"  
  
The punk was shocked, and no longer laughing.  
  
"Th-that's your kudan?? Oh, but it ain't as strong as it looks!! KANIKUI HOUDAI!!"  
  
"No matter how hard the body is, once struck with a knife..." Kurogane whispered to himself. "Crabs have joints, you know!"  
  
To prove his point, the ninja jumped forward and did a nice, clean cut, powerful enough to make the other kudan waver and shatter, under the screams of the crowd.  
  
The punk leader fell to his knees, his body quaking with shudders and sparks of electricity. His gang moved towards him, shocked.  
  
"Man, you okay??"  
  
"Hang on!"  
  
"Y-you already made the team, right? You're in Syaoran's team..." The boss pointed towards Kurogane, who was standing amongst the rubble, his sword against his back. The ninja was glaring at him.  
  
"I'm not joining any team... In my life, I only serve one person. Only Tomoyo- hime."  
  
:::*:::*:::  
  
I'll stop for a moment. If you want more, ask me, but it may take some time. R&R? 


End file.
